Smash preventer for shuttle changing looms



July 12, 1938. w. M. WATTIE SMASH PREVENTER FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Filed June 22. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 1 v as Inventor wilham YLwatfl e At torney July 12,1938. w. M. WATTIE 2,123,265

SMASH PREVENTER FOR SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS Filed June 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

as s

Inventor 7 William m.wat.t.'\e

A 62 l wit: A t forney Patented July 12, 1938 -"lJ:NlT E;D .LSTATES PATENT OFFlCE SMASH PREVENTER FOR SHUTTLE CHAN G- ING LOOMS c 1 A w William M. Wattie, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Orompton '& Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June .22, 1936, Serial No. 86,513

This invention relates to mechanism for preventing a shuttle smash on -a :shuttle changing loom and it is the general object of the invention to disable the weft detector on detecting beats .5- of the loom if: the shuttle is not present at the deteo'tor side.

"In the type of shuttle changing "looms to which myinvention more particularly relates, the weft detector cooperates with a pump rod having a working stroke every other 'beat'of the loom when a the lay is on front center position. The detector enters the shuttle 'at this "time and if suffi'cient weft be present for continued weaving the feeler "pushes an indicator .out of the path of the pump 15 rod. On the other hand, if indication :is to be :given by the detector, the latter .=fails tomove the indicator out-of the path of the pump rod, and .as

"the latter rises the shuttle changing mechanism vat-the opposite-sideof the loom is setfor a shuttle change by amovement of the indicator. .As set forth hereinafter the shuttle :changing mecha- "rnism -op'erates when "the lay is in back position, aud t/here are :rising boxes :at :the magazine end ithe- :upper lof "which receives the reserve *shuttle {1:25 from the magazine and the lower 10f which ireceives the oncoming depletedrshuttle. .For :proper operation the top cell of the shuttle box mechalnismqnust be empty. u

If: the weaver, after correcting a Jmispick, "should ,,;;go inadvertently put the active shuttle .into the shutthe box at the magazine and instead of the "detector end where it should go, the action of the pump and will be outof step with the picking of rtheloom. Since there is no weft in the shuttle 35 wboxiadjacent the -:detector at this time the latter dicates. for a shuttle change and the boxes :at writhe epposite or. changer end "start immediately .to .Asthe shuttle changer acts to advance a ,ireseiwelshuttle toward the top cell now occupied vlaylaimisplaced weaving shuttle, the incoming and activexshuttles will collide to cause a smash. It wiswto =be"-:un derstood that the'picking mechanism inwsuch Iloonis-is set to operate the picker sticks walternately, "and it is for this reason that the -::shuttle inithe top cell of the shuttle changer end will-snot bepicked as the lay moves :to top center position 'on that: beat of the loom.

litais-a n important @object of my present invention to correct the previously described de- Q5150: fects by causing the detector or the indicator to z'iassume such a-iposition as will prevent 'setting of Jtheishuttlewhanger on those picks of the loom n-Whenidetection would normally take place :and the shuttle-is absent from the shuttle box adjamg bcentrthe, detector. This :result I may accomplish With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of 'parts1hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment .of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of 'a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 21is a vertical section on an enlarged scale on line 2--2 of .Fig. 1 looking in the direction of. the arrows,

Fig. '3 is an enlarged plan view looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4*is a'veriticalsection on line 4-4, Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. :5 is a .frontielevation taken in the direction of arrow '5, Fig. 3, and

Fig. Bis a.=detailed plan view showing a modification :of the adisabling finger for the indicating lever.

Referring to the drawings, the loom frame lll, 'bottom :shaiit ll, right and left picker sticks l2 and 43, respectively, and right and left picking levers M and 15, respectively, may be of usual "construction. Right and left picking rolls I6 and l 1, respectively, rotate with the bottom shaft and are set 180 apart so that the picking levers :are actuated on alternate beats of the loom. As :shown in 1 the picking motion at the left side of the loom is about to be set in motion by the picking roll ll, while the picking roll it at rthekoppositeside is'away from operating position with respect to the right lever I 4. This order of picking .is customary and bears a relation to the matter to "be described hereinafter.

At the left hand side of the loom there is lo- :cated a weft :detecting mechanism designated generally at D comprising a weft engaging detector finger -20 slidably mounted in a fixed stand 2| and having a rear tip 22 to engage the weft]. W in the weaving shuttle S located in shuttle box B. A slot '23 may be formed on the bobbin or weft carrier C :to receive the feeler tip when the weft is substantially exhausted. The feeler is of the caliper type and. is moved forwardly by en- The feeler 20 has the forward end thereof in alignment with the arm 36 and a stop 32 adjust ably held on the stand 2i to assume a plurality of positions with respect to the forward position of the lay engages a shoulder 33 on the detector to limitedrearward movement thereof. A counter-weighted arm 35 on the indicating lever holds the arm 30 in the normal rearward position suggested in Fig. 4 and preferably against the forward end of the detector. The counter Weight serves to return the detector to the rearward position after a forward detecting motion.

A lifting arm 36 formed integral with the in dicating lever has a lug 31 vertically over a notch 38 formed in the upper end of an actuator head 39. The latter is secured to the upper end of. an actuator rod 40 the lower end of which is pivoted to the forward end of lever 4| actuated by a cam 42 secured to the bottom shaft II. The cam is set so that the actuator rod 48 is given aworking upward stroke on alternate beats of the loom when the shuttle S is on the detector or left side of the loom, as viewed in Fig. 1. When the detector swings the indicating lever to the dotted position indicated in Fig. 4 due to presence of a sufficient supply of weft for continued weaving, the actuator head 31 rises without imparting motion to the arm 36, but when the weft is substantially exhausted the arm 30 remains at rest and the counter-weight maintains the arm 36 in the path of the head 39. As the rod 40' rises under these conditions engagement between the head 39 and the arm 36 will lift the transmitting lever 21 from the full to the dot and dash line positions shown in Fig. 4. Y

A rod 45. is connected to the transmitting lever by an attachment permitting adjustment relatively to the pivot ZG-and is attached at'its lower end to a bell crank lever 46 movable about a fixed pivot 41 and attached to a horizontal rod 48 extending across the loom to the shuttle changing side. The right end of the rod48 as shown in Fig. 1 is attached to the lower end of a lifting dog 49 pivoted as at 58 to a lever movable about a fixed axis 52, see Fig. 2. A cam 53 on the bottom shaft has high and low dwells 54 and 55, respectively, and oscillates the lever 5|, giving the latter a motion which will raise the dog when the detector acts to determine the condition of weft in the weaving shuttle A box lifter lever 60 also pivoted-about the axis 52 carries a lug Bi to be engaged by the upper end of the dog to effect rocking of the lifter lever whenever the detector indicates exhaustion of weft. The timing of the parts is such that lever 69 will start to oscillate either when the loom is approximately in its foremost position, or immediately after the lay has started its rearward movement from detecting position. The

rocking of lever 60' accomplishes two results,

namely, the'raising of the shuttlebox structure 65 preparatory to a shuttle change, and the actu ation of a shuttle advancer designated generally at 66 to move a reserve shuttle from the magazine M toward the rising box.

The box structure comprises upper and lower cells H3 and H, respectively, mounted on a box lifter rod 12 connected to the bottom of a yielding link 73. The latter is attached by means of a pin 14 to the forward end of lever 60 and as the left end of said lever rises, as viewed in Fig. 2, the cell 78, which is normally down and in picking position, will move above picking position preparatory to receiving a reserve shuttle R. At the same time the lower cell II will move into alignment with the shuttle race 15 to receive the on coming depleted shuttle which is travelling from the detector end of the loom.

The magazine comprises a guideway 80 in which are stored reserve shuttles R and the ad- .vancer head 66 is secured to the forward end ofv a sliding rod 8| mounted in a guide bearing 82 rigid with the magazine and held yielding rearwardly by a spring 83. A rod 84 is attached to the rear end of lever 60 and has the upper end thereof connected to a chain 85 trained around a sheave .86- and then attached to a block 81 secured to the rod 8|. When the lever 60 rocks in a right hand direction at the time of a shuttle changing operation, referring to Fig. 2, rod 84 will be depressed and the advancer will consequently be moved forwardly to push the bottom reserve shuttle R onto fingers 88 secured to and extending .rearwardly from the lay. This motion of the advancer head 66 moves a reserve shuttle from the magazine toward cell as the latter rises and when the lay reaches back center the incoming shuttle will be in position to fall into the cell it]. If at this time box 10 is occupied a smash will result.

The drawings indicate only those parts of the magazine which are necessary for an understanding of the present invention and it is deemed sufficient to state that during a shuttle changing operation the boxes will rise as the reserve shuttle moves forwardly, the operation being completed by the time the lay reaches its rearmost position approximately one-half a pick or beat of the loom after the detector has indicated exhaustion of weft.

The matter thus far described of itself forms no'part of my present invention and for a further understanding of the detector and shuttle 'changing' mechanism reference may be had to priorPatents Nos. 1,528,852 to Ryon, 1,749,934 to Chevrette and to Patents Nos. 2,054,172 and 2,054,179, issued to Turner.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be understood that shoulda shuttle be present in cell 10 when the latter startsto rise it will move into interfering position with respect to the incoming reserve shuttle being advanced by the plunger head 66 and my present invention relates to means for preventing such an interference. As already stated, the weaver may have incorrectly placed the shuttle in cell 10 which is normally down at a time when the next pick of the loom is to take place from the opposite or detector end. Under these conditions the lay will move rearwardly through the top centerpicking position without ejecting the wrongly placed shuttle from cell 10 and the weaving shuttle, not being picked, will move rearwardly as the cell 10 rises preparatory to the shuttle changing operation of the loom.

' In carrying my present invention into effect I *secure to the forward part of the lay L a small stand 90 provided with a vertical stud 9| on which is pivotally mounted a controller lever 92. The latter has a finger 93, which as shown in the preferred form and illustrated in Fig. 3, has a rounded.

s reaar'surface to en'gageithe ibinder :94 of the shuttle ibox B located at the lleft =or idetector end .:of the Bloom. An indieator lever contrdlling zpin-"fifi'fis adiustably held to the lever 92 by a nut eL while aspr ing Q-B connected to the lever 92at-one end and toan adjustable wire99 at the other end tends "normally to turn the lever 92 in a left hand direc- =tion as viewed inFig. 3, acting normally toflmove the pin 96 into alignment with the lifter arm 36.

The tension of the spring "98 maybe varied by changing the longitudinal position of the wire 99 through adjustments afforded by the holding screw I05.

As shown in :Fig. 6, a modified controller lever E lflll has aifinger'lfl l in which is adjustablymount- *eda screw 1 0 2 the head I03 of which is positioned for 'engagem en't with the binder 94. In other respec'tsthe lever illustrated iniEig. 6 is similar to t'halt s'hown in FigJB. V i i Under normal conditions when the loom is picking properly and there is vsufficient weft for continued weaving in the shuttle S thellever 36 will be inovedoutof vertical alignment with the plunger head as already described, and the rod *will therefore remain at rest, itsxposition being determined by a stop screw 106 carried by the stand 21 and-engaging :a portion of the transmitting lever 21 :as shown in Fig.4. The advancing lay causes the pin '96 to approach the .arm 36, but

as the weaving shuttle-enters the boxrit swings the doom, :the controller lever will not be rocked due to the ifactithat thezbinder iszinirearward position. E l-1e rodliG willithereupon engage the arm -16 and :rock thersameforwardly toithe dotted line position 45 0f Fig. 4, thereby preventing the "detector, from igivinga'false indication 'of: weft :exhaus'tion. ,1

From .this descniption it will be seen that 'the icontroller lever doeslnotinterferedn any waywith rtherproper operation 0f "the detector when the 550 rweaving shuttle is :in LbOX B on a-detecting beat of the Lloom, abutsaid ilever cdoes act to prevent the l :detector from "giving a false indication when the :shuttl'ezisabsent ionaaidetectingbeat. This relaition issparticularly advantageous when .the loom is ieqnipped with :the. :caliper type of feelerwhich would normally act to give an indication of weft exhaustion-whenever weft isabsent due either to exhaustion of weft or ='1'1011:3,I-IlV&1 of :the weaving shuttle :in the :box 3. i

Whenever the pin 96 *rocksmthe indicating lever thedog' lil will bepreventedifrom engaging the lug M rand-*the :shuttle changing mechanism at the i :right handssideof the loom will thereforeremain :at rest andithe presence1of the weaving shuttle at ithe imag'azine end of :the loom willnotcause breakfage. m

Flrom .the foregoing it will be seen that I have i-provided simple :means' .for preventing ,the weft detector from-initiating ashuttle changing opera- Q ition zof the :loom when the weaving shuttle is absent from the detector side ofcthe 100m-1011 deateeting beats. It will further be seen that I have sprovided iaismall lever :on the layito be rocked by .ithe binder when the weavingshuttle arrives .at

$5 rthe detector side iof the loom, the :levernormally If the shuttle 1440 ifails to vreach box B on "a detecting beat of the controlof the detector to prevent the latter from tending to disable the lindicatingtl'ever but being prevented from doing so by thebin'der when-the shuttle arrives.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changesiandmodifications may be made 5 therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scopeof the invention and I'edo not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. Inashuttlechanging loom havinga lay-and operating with aweaving shuttle, means to pick the shuttlefrom alternate ends of the lay on success'ive beats of :the loom, a shuttle changing mechanism 1106311661 "behind the layandeffective .to advance :a reserve :shuttle forwardly as the lay removes rearwardly, a weft detectorat the opposite end of the loom "to indicate exhaustion of weft,

- setting mechanism for the shuttle changingmech- :anism controlled by the detector and effective when 'the latter indicates weft exhaustionitocause 20 the shuttle changing mechanism to advance a reserve shuttle, controller means on the detector end of the loom normally positioned 'on detecting beats of the loom to move the setting mechanism -.out of control of the detector, and means moved 5-25 by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end 'of the iloorn to move the'controller means but of normal position to a position where said controller means is incapable of moving the setting'mechanism. i i @230 2. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, means to pick the weaving shuttle from alternate ends of the lay on successive-backward beats thereof, a shuttle changing mechanism located behind one end: "35 of the lay andefiective to advancea reserve shuttleitowardthe lay as the latter movesrearwardly,

a weft detector at the other end of the lay operative when weft is .absenton a detecting beat-of the layto indicate weft exhaustion, setting mech- .ani'sm for the shuttle changing mechanism controlled by the detector and effective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the shuttle changing mechanism foradvancing a reserve shuttle; a shuttle binder on the lay at the 'detector end thereof, and means positioned by the binder when the latteriis in a position corresponding to absence of the weaving shuttle from the detector end of the loom on a detecting beat to move the setting mechanism to a position out of operating with a weaving shuttle, means to pick the weaving shuttle on alternate ends of the lay :on successive backward beats thereof, a shuttle changing mechanism located behind one end of the lay and effective to advance a reserve shuttle 4 toward the lay as the latter moves rearwardly, a

weft detector at the other end of the loom operative when weft is absent on aidetecting'beat to indicate weft exhaustion, setting mechanism vfor the shuttle changing mechanism controlled by the detector and eifective when the :latter indicates G5 weft exhaustion to set the shuttle changing mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle, a binder on the lay at the detector end thereof, a-nda'controller for the setting mechanism movably mounted on the lay and positioned by'the *binder and effective on detecting bcats of the loom when the shuttle is absent from the detector end :of

the loom to move the setting mechanismito a position out of control of the detector to prevent the latter from causing the settingmechanism 375 to set the shuttle changing mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle.

4. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, means to pick the shuttle from alternate ends of the lay on successive backward beats thereof, a shuttle changing mechanism located behind one end of the lay and effective to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay as the latter moves rearwardly, a weft detector adjacent the other end of the lay operative when weft is absent on detecting beats of the loom to indicate weft exhaustion, a pump rod having a working stroke on detecting beats of the loom, an indicator normally positioned in the path of said pump rod to be moved by the latter and movable out of said path by the detector when sufficient weft for continued weaving is present at the detector end of the lay, said indicator remaining in the path of the pump rod when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, connections between the indicator and shuttle changing mechanism to cause the latter to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay when said indicator is moved by the pump rod, a controller for the indicator normally positioned on detecting beats of the loom to move the indicator out of the path of the pump rod, and means operated by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller out of normalposition to a position where said controller is incapable of moving the indicator.

5. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, means to pick the shuttle from alternate ends of the lay on successive backward beats thereof, a shuttle changing mechanism located behind one end of the lay and effective to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay as the latter moves'rearwardly, a weft detector adjacent the other end of the lay operative when weft is absent on a detecting beat to indicate weft exhaustion, a pump rod at the detector end of the loom having a working stroke on detecting beats, a lever pivoted to the lay at the detector end of the loom, a shuttle binder on the lay to move the lever to normal position when a weaving shuttle is in engagement with said binder, means to move the lever to abnormal position when the weaving shuttle is absent, an indicator normally in the path of the pump rod to be moved out of said path by the detector when weft is present at the detector end of the loom, said indicator remaining in said path when the detector indicates absence of weft, connections between the indicator and shuttle changing mechanism to cause the latter to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay when said indicator is moved by the pump rod, and means carried by the lever and effective when the latter is in abnormal position on a detecting beat of the loom to move the indicator out of the path of the pump rod.

6. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, a pair of shifting shuttle boxes normally down at one end of the lay, a shuttle changing mechanism at said end of the lay effective to move a reserve shuttle toward the shuttle boxes as the latter approach the shuttle changing mechanism, lifting means to raise the shuttle boxes at the beginning of a shuttle changing operation of the loom to receive a reserve shuttle delivered by the shuttle changing mechanism, a weft detector at the opposite end of the loom capable of indicating weft exhaustion on alternate and detecting beats of the lay if weft is absent on a detecting beat, control placer is incapable of moving the control mechanism.

'7. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, a pair-of shifting shuttle boxes normally in down position at:

one end of the lay, a reserve shuttle magazine at said end of the lay effective during a shuttle changing operation of the loom to move a reserve shuttle toward the shuttle boxes as the lay approaches the magazine, lifting means to raise thelLZO shuttle boxes at the beginning of the shuttle changing operation of the loom to receive the reserve shuttle from the shuttle changing mechanism, a weft detector at the opposite end-of the loom effective on alternate and detecting beats- 525 of the lay when weft is absent to indicate weft exhaustion, setting mechanism controlled by the detector and effective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the lifting means for raising the boxes, a controller for the setting mecha- -I nism normally positioned on a detecting beat of the loom to prevent the setting mechanism from being controlled by the detector, and means operated by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller to:

a positionwhere said controller is incapable of affecting the control which the detector has over said setting mechanism.

8. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, shuttle chang-,,

ing mechanism adjacent one end of the lay,

- means forming part of said mechanism to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay, shiftable shuttle boxes normally down to be raised to receive a reserve shuttle, a weft detector at the opposite end of the loom capable on alternate beats of the latter when weft is absent of indicating weft exhaustion, lifting means for the shuttle boxes, setting mechanism for the lifting means controlled by the detector and effective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the lifting means to raise the shuttle boxes, controller means on the detector end of the loom normally posi- "tioned on detecting beats of the loom to move the setting mechanism out of control of the detector,

and means moved by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller means out of normal position to a position where said controller means is incapable of moving the setting mechanism.

9. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, shuttle changing mechanism at one end of the lay effective to advance a reserve shuttle toward the lay, a weft detector adjacent the opposite end of the lay effective when weft is absent from said opposite end of the lay on alternate beats of the loom to indicate weft exhaustion, setting mechanism controlled by the detector and effective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the shuttle changing mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle, controller means on the detector end of the loom normally positioned on detecting beats of the loom to move the setting mechanism out of control of the detector, and means moved by the.

shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller means out of normal position to a position where said controller means is incapable of moving the setting mechanism.

10. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay and operating with a weaving shuttle, means to pick the shuttle from opposite ends of the lay on successive beats thereof, a shuttle changing mechanism adjacent one end of the lay to advance a reserve shuttle toward the latter for a shuttle changing operation, a Weft detector at the opposite end of the loom operative on those beats of the loom when the latter is to pick the weaving shuttle from the detector end of the loom to indicate weft exhaustion when weft is absent at the detector end of the lay, setting mechanism controlled by the detector and efiective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the shuttle changing mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle, controller means on the detector end of the loom normally positioned on detecting beats of the loom to move the setting mechanism out of control of the detector, and means moved by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller means out of normal position to a position where said controller means is incapable of moving the setting mechanism.

11. In a shuttle changing loom, a lay, means to pick a weaving shuttle from alternate ends of the lay on successive beats of the loom, a weft detector mechanism at one end of the loom operative on those beats of the loom when the weaving shuttle is to be picked from the detector end of the loom to indicate weft exhaustion, shuttle changing mechanism at the opposite end of the loom to advance a shuttle toward the lay, setting mechanism controlled by the detector and effective when the latter indicates weft exhaustion to set the shuttle changing mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle, controller means on the detector end of the loom normally positioned on detecting beats of the loom to move the setting mechanism out of control of the detector, and means moved by the shuttle when arriving at the detector end of the loom to move the controller means out of normal position to a position where said controller means is incapable of moving the setting mechanism.

WILLIAM M. WATTIE. 

